Safety razor



y 6, 1937 Ls. BODKIN 12 085,89

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Nov. 29, 1933 NVENTOR- fr ing 00 in ATTORNEY- Patented July 6, 1937 SAFETY RAZOR Irving S. Bodkin, New York, N. Y., assignor to Conrad Razor Blade 00. Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 29,1933, Serial No. 700,175

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a safety razor and more particularly to the double edge razors, although certain of its features may be utilized in other types.

A common form of double edge safety razor has a guard plate and a holding plate with a razor blade held in position therebtween. A suitable handle is attached to the guard plate and holding plate to secure the two together to hold the blade in position. This type of razor now has the outer edge of the guard provided with comb-like projections extending over the edge of the blade to serve as a guard for the cutting edge. In shaving with such a razor, the lather or shaving cream passes between the teeth of the guard onto the guard and accumulates against the outer edge. It is quite diflicult to remove the lather from between the teeth, particularly where it has had a chance to harden. It is even more difficult to remove brushless shaving cream from the crevices between the teeth because such cream adheres between the teeth and is not materially affected by running water over the guard. Such razors are difficult to clean and are particularly objectionable to persons who prefer the brushless shaving creams. The teeth or projections on the edge of the guard, although of sturdy construction, are likely to bend and become deranged if the razor is dropped or if it hits against any hard object. This is likewise objectionable. A further difficulty is encountered in holding the razor to assemble and disassemble the parts, and to prevent accidental cutting of the hands during these operations.

The present invention aims to minimize or overcome the above objections and to improve this type of razor without materially increasing the cost of impairing the operating qualities thereof.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction and operating characteristics of safety razors. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety razor which may be readily cleaned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety razor construction adapted to withstand unusual strains on the parts thereof occasioned by dropping and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety razor which is easy to assemble and disassemble without danger of cutting the fingers with the razor blade.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for conducting the lather or shaving cream away from the edge of the razor blade to permit it to accumulate where it may be readily removed.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a razor embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectionalview showing the connection of the handle to the guard member and to the holding member;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, illustrating the relation of the parts;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustratingdetails of the parts;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the guard member with the holding member and blade removed; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the razor and the movement of the 7 cream in shaving.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention comprising a handle I, a guard member 2, a holding member 3 and a safety razor blade 4. While these parts may be secured together in any desired manner, as shown herein, the handle I is molded of a synthetic resin with a hollow cylindrical member 5, preferably metal, permanently and rigidly secured therein in any suitable manner, for example; by means of a groove 5' and suitable knurling as shown in Fig. 2. The interlocking connection may be made at the time the handle is molded or the metal member may be inserted after the molding operation. If inserted while the molding material is hot, there is sufiicient shrinkage to form a rigid connection. The metal member 5 extends outwardly beyond the end of the handle and fits into an aperture 6 in the guard member 2. The end of the member 5 is preferably flanged outwardly at I to r0- tatably secure the handle I on the guard member 2. The guard member may have an upwardly extending projection 8 adapted to fit against the end of the handle to improve the ap'pearance I thereof and to provide a suitable bearing surface between the guard member and the handle. The holding member 3 preferably has a pair of pro jections 9 adapted to flt in suitable apertures III in the guard member and a central threaded projection II adapted to be threaded into the cylindrical member secured in the end of the 5 handle. The razor blade 4 may be provided with the usual three apertures adapted to fit over the the three projections III and II of the holding member and to be secured thereby against the guard member 2; or the blade may have the usual 10 itudinal slot, with portions adapted to fit over e projections.

While various constructions of these several members may be utilized, preferably the guard member has a pair of longitudinal recesses I2 adjacent each edge thereof which, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, are spaced slightly inwardly of the edge of the blade. The inner longitudinal sides I3 of the recesses are preferably inclined to guide the shaving cream away from the blade and to facilitate cleaning. The recesses I2 provide a guard bar I4 which is integral with the main part of the guard member and connected to it by the portions I5 at the ends and center thereof. The guard bar I4 is preferably ridged or recessed on its under side to present an uneven surface.to the face during shaving, as shown more particularly in Fig. 6. The grooves I6, formed by the ridges extending transversely of the guard bar I4, furnish channels through which the shaving cream may pass into the recesses I2, as shown more particularly in Fig. 6. In other words, the guard bar, in passing over the face,

tends to work the shaving cream through the grooves or passageways it into the recesses I2, where the shaving cream is guided out of the recesses by the inclined portions I3 so that it may accumulate in the recesses and on the guard plate. By reason of the size of the recesses and the shallowness of the grooves I6, the shaving 4 cream may be readily wiped or washed out of the grooves and recesses, either before or after the parts have been disassembled. The recesses I2 serve as a satisfactory reservoir for the accumulation of a substantial amount of the shaving 45 cream and permit any excess to accumulate above the recesses without dropping off. Another advantage of the construction shown is that the bars I4 are integral with the guard member at the ends and center thereof and, hence, if the 5 razor is dropped, the corners I5 are not impaired in any way and neither is the guard bar I4. There are no projecting teeth or the like to be bent outpf shape and, hence, the construction is stronger and more rigid than prior construc- 55 tions. The recesses I2, together with the bearing or pyramid 8 at the center of the guard bar, give a futuristic design which is quite attractive.

Other important features of the present construction are the recesses II in the ends of the 60 guard member 2, which is permanently attached to the handle. These recesses; expose a portion of the upper side of the ends of the blade 4 to facilitate assembling and disassembling of the parts of the razor. The holding member 3 has its 65 ends extending outwardly at least flush with the ends of the razor blade so that the blade is protected against damage. The comers I9 of the guard member extend outwardly beyond the corners of the razor blade so that if the parts should 70 slip in the hand, the corners I9 aflord protection against the corner of the blade cutting the hand. In disassembling the parts after shaving, the ends of the guard member 2 are grasped with the thumb and finger and the handle I is rotated to II release the holding plate. The recesses II in the ends of the guard member permit the hand to obv tain a good grip and, at the same time. the exposed portion at the upper side of the blade occasioned by the recesses I'I permits the blade to be held against the removable holding member 3 5 when the handle has been turned sumciently to release the threaded projection II on the holding member. The holding member and blade may be removed from the guard and handle and there is no danger of the blade falling off the holding 10 member or cutting the hand. The outwardly extending projections I9 at the corners of the guard prevent any injury in the event that the parts should slip in some way. Thereafter. the blade can be removed from the holding member and 15 the parts washed. The lather or shaving cream,

as pointed out above, will have accumulated in and above the recesses I2, which are of substantial size, and may be washed out by running water over the guard member. diiiicult cases, a suitable cloth may be used; the recesses are suillciently large so that all parts of the interior thereof can be easily reached in cleaning. The inclined sides I3 also facilitate cleaning by enlarging the upper ends of the re- 25 cesses and by making the surfaces more accessible. In addition, the relatively sharp edges formed by the inclined sides I3 press against the blade and provide a tight joint which prevents lather or shaving cream from getting under the 30 guard member. The grooves I6 in the guard bar being comparatively shallow, ofl'er no difficulty in removing any shaving cream which may have accumulated therein. The parts can be readily assembled by holding in one hand the holding 35 plate 3 and blade 4 and by superimposing the handle I and guard plate 2 with the other hand. Thereafter, the handle is rotated to thread the projection II into the cylindrical member 5 in the end of the handle. As the parts are screwed 40 together, the blade 4 flexes, as shown in Fig. 3, and-the amount of flexing and the closeness of the shave can be controlled within limits by the pressure applied tothe blade in screwing the parts together. The edge of the holding plate and the inner edges of the recesses I2 cooperate to hold the blade in proper position.

It will be seen that the present invention provides an inexpensive construction, the parts of which may be readily assembled and disassembled 60 without danger of cutting the hands or other injury by reason of the sharp razor blade. The sharpened edge of the blade is covered at all times to minimize any chance of injury. The recessed ends of the guard member permit a person to grasp and hold the holding member and blade together with one hand while the handle and guard member are removed with the other hand. The recesses in the guard member being spaced slightly inwardly of the cutting edge of the blade provide a passageway and a reservoir for the accumulation of shaving cream or lather during shaving. The grooves I6 form passageways leading to the recesses I2, and the skin, in moving over these grooves, works the shaving cream along the grooves, which serve as passageways into the recesses I2, thereby accumulating the lather at a point where it can be readily removed. There are no protruding projections likely to be bent or deformed if the razor is dropped, as it frequently is. The construction is sturdy and rigid in all parts and full capable of withstanding any rough usage to which it may be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form.

In particularly 20' construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limit- 'ing sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a safety razor, the combination of a handle formed of a synthetic resin having a well at one end thereof, a cylindrical metal sleeve having one end thereof inserted into said well and having its other end extending outwardly from said well, said well and sleeve having cooperating grooves and projections for permanently anchoring said sleeve and said handle being shrunk about said sleeve to provide a permanent connection, said sleeve having threads on the interior thereof at its inserted end, a razor blade guard having a projection on the underside thereof provided with an aperture for receiving the outwardly extending end of said sleeve, said sleeve having a. flange for rotatably retaining said guard permanently on said handle, and a blade holder for clamping a blade against said guard having a threaded projection adapted to be threaded into said sleeve.

2. In a safety razor, the combination of a handle formed of a synthetic resin having a well at one end thereof, a tubular metal sleeve having one end thereof inserted into said well and having its other end extending outwardly from said well, said sleeve having an annular groove therein and said well having a rib adapted to fit into said groove to provide a permanent connection, said sleeve having knurling on the exterior to prevent relative rotation between said sleeve and said handle and having threads on the interior thereof at its inserted end, a razor blade guard having a projection on .the underside thereof provided with an aperture for receiving the outwardly extending end of said sleeve, said sleeve having an outwardly extending flange for rotatably retaining said guard permanently on said handle, and a blade holder for clamping a blade against said guard having a threaded projection adapted to be threaded into said sleeve, said sleeve being without threads at its free end to permit said holder projection to be partially inserted therein prior to interengaging of the respective threads.

IRVING S. BODKIN. 

